The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-11-05
DIAMOND MINES.
PRECIOUS STONES FOUND IN THE
REGIONS OF GOLCONDA.
Yield Of the Mines Of India and Of Bra

ziI-The Famous kimberly-New South
walcs and B"rnc0-Ceylon's Valuable
Gems
There are in India three extensive tracts
widely separated from one another. in
which the diamond has been sought for
+ The name OF Golconda. originally applied
10 capital town now deserted fort in
F the neighb0rh0od Of Hyderlhdl. seems 20
have been used for a whole kingdom. but
the town itself is many mile distant from
/ the nearest diamond mines, and 10 was
/ only the mart where the precious stones
were bought and sold The second great
/ tract occupies AN immense area between
/ the Nahanuda and the Golaycry rivers.
and the third great tract is situated On
/ Bundelcund near the capital of which
/ Punnah-sOme Of the mines are found
For those content with slowly paying
occupation and a hard liie inyoiyin. close
supervision of the workers. diamond min
ing will pay, provided such persons POS
sess capital sufficient t0 last them few
wears The diamonds now are usually
brought from Partial, close to The south
ern norton OF the Nizam's dOminIons
The deepest pits are not more than twelve
feet The matriX Of The diamond in those
localities H. cOngloi crate sandstone
The appliances of mos 0Tn machinery for
excavation. etc, directed Bog men Of sci
ence. may possibly bring % light gems
that have not been discovered hy 'he rude
native processes ol search.
Ii would be curious 90 ascertain the
Weld Of diamonds I'm the east from those
mines i'm the last $50 years, and Of Brazil
i'm the last $50 years since the discovery
there; but no such data are obtainable,
nor indeed can any reliable estimate be
formed Of the value Of the diamonds
owned in different countries.
From the four principal mines IN Gri-
qualand (Which an lie within 20 circle with
q diameter OF three miles,. calculating the
amount Of diam0ndifcrous ground IT,
moved and the known average yield per
load i'm each. il is found that not less than
3d. COO. 600 carats of diamonds .or more
than - tons weight must have been
extracted since the first discovery. realiz
ing in round numbers f40OO0.O0l
rHE FAMOUS KIMBERLEY
The yield Of diamonds from flc k'mhcr
ley mine alone, from the opening iu 1871
TO the end Of 1850 i. stated 200 have eN
ceeded II. 500. 600 carat- equal foo Hlc.
and one-half tons weight o precious
stones I'm value about t2O. OUO 600 10
obtain this. as many thousand tons of reef
and ground have had TO Doe eXc8aied
The mine IS $50 feet deep, and the cubcal
contents of this huge cavity measures
about q. 600 900 cubic wards Four fnou,
and kaflrs are employed 40 this mine
and more than 10000 natives of Africa
arrive yearly al the mines BOO search q
work; 80 that the employment Of native
labor and the development Of native trade
are incidental benefits conferred ON ~ouii'
Africa hy the discovery of the diamond
fields.
The Dutch government are the owners
of the diamond mines M BorncO. which
are situated in The district 0f Iandak n
the territory of puteyauak. they arc
worked by Dyaks aud Malays but with
far superior skill hy the Chinese. The
gems are found u yellow c0lored gravel
no depths ranging 90 sixty feet. Adj
vance. are iuade to thc miners. who arc
10uud % deliver ail stones at 20 per cent
below their market value
Diamond mining in New South Wales
is likely to become OF much importance.
and the colonists are sanguine Of being
able 10 compete with South Africa in This
trade Twelve thousand diamonds have
been obtained mp 20 the present time, .
chiefly from the tertiary grayels and rc
cent drifts in the Bingera. lnycrell and .
ChittagOug districts The largest dIa
mond yet found weighed 1862 grains or
about SIS carats They are Of gool /
color and quality Companies with large
capital are forming 20 buy up and wor.l T.
the extensive diamond fields IN Bngera .
Other gem stones found IN that colony are .
garnet-. the common emerald green I.
beryn. Oriental emerald green sapphire .
royal blue sapphire, white and pale blue 7
topaz and agates.
CEyLON's PRECIOUS STONES.
Ceylon has always had reputation for .
its richness iu precious stones. Inferior I
kinds. such as the mOonstone and the /
garnet. are found in the beds of stream
about Handy. Newara Eleya, Badullaaud /
some of tine small rivers of the south; but /
the more precious stones, such as tho /
ruby. the blue sapphire the Oriental topaz /
Of various yellows. the Alexandria and /
the cats eve. must be sought within % /
radius of thirty or forty miles from Ratna- /
pura, the city Of gems.
The search for gem stones is carried ou /
i'm the most primitive manner in Ceylon. /
The SOIL supposed 90 be rich in precious /
stones. is rented for an annual sum from
tlc government Coolies are set 90 work /
to dig the earth. which is heaped mp on /
one side. and then washed through q
trough with yariously sized perforated .
ainc stops. which retain an stones. accord /
ing 10 their sizes. These are placed ON q
table or flat surface. and the gems are
easily distinguished and picked ont. The
proportion of gems capable of being cut
and really marketable is not more than
per cent
OF the siliceous gems, the amethyst, Of
purplish violet hue, is the most yalu-
able The best amethysts are brought
from Cambay in India and from Siberia
Ceylou and Persia, where they are found
both lining 5he cavities of goodies and iu